Dr. Barber research has led to the discovery of STING, the stimulator of interferon genes. The 2008 discovery triggers<br>host defense immune responses following infection by DNA microbes, such as certain viruses, bacteria, and even parasites. Dr. Barber and his team found the key regulatory molecules and pathway first. It later became clear that STING signaling is also extremely important for activating anti-tumor immunity.<br>Dr. Barber’s work further shows that STING sheds insight into causes of inflammatory disease. These significant research discoveries have spawned efforts to design novel drugs that target the STING pathway for new treatment of a variety of diseases such as severe systemic lupus erythematosus.<br><br>
